1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for shaping and arraying spheroidal bodies of food materials that are formed by enveloping a filler material with a crust material. In particular, it relates to an apparatus for shaping such spheroidal bodies without exposing their filler material, and automatically arraying the shaped bodies on a tray.
2. Prior Art
The assignee's earlier application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,024, discloses an apparatus for shaping a spheroidal body consisting of dough crust and a filling. In this invention a cylindrical body consisting of dough crust and a filling is continuously fed to a central opening formed by circumferentially disposed cutter members. The members slide on each other so as to constrict the body until its lowermost end is shaped into a spheroidal body and is severed from the remaining part of the body. However, this apparatus does not include a means for arraying the shaped spheroidal body in a tray or package. Therefore, an operator manually receives the spheroidal bodies from a receiving means of the apparatus, for example, a conveyor, and arrays them on a tray or package. To automate such an arraying step, another apparatus is required. U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,945 discloses an apparatus for transferring formed articles and arraying them in trays and boxes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,982 also discloses an apparatus for handling and positioning articles in containers. Usually, the shaping apparatus of the prior art is combined with these arraying apparatuses so that the finished products that are transferred by the conveyor of the shaping apparatus are received and arrayed by the arraying apparatus. In the food production industry, it is preferable for sanitary purposes to automate the full production process to prevent products from being touched by the hand or any other part of an operator. Further, buying two separate apparatuses and placing them in a plant costs a significant amount of money and results in more space being used.